exploring the moon (topic 9)

what is the mean thickness of the lunar crust

50-60km

approximately how many times is the lunar crust thicker than the earth

3 times

on which side of the moon is the crust thicker

the far side

what caused the moon’s crust on the far side to be thicker

the earth’s tidal influence on the moon early in it's life

is the core of the moon relatively larger or smaller than the earth

smaller (less than 25% of the moon’s radius , compared to more than 50% of the earth’s)

how is the core of the moon offset

it is about 2km towards the near side (towards the earth)

which spacecraft first orbited the moon to see the far side

Luna 3

in which year did we first see the far side of the moon

1959

on which side of the moon are there more craters

far side

on which side of the moon is there more maria

near side

which side of the moon is lighter

far side (due to lack of maria)

on which side of the moon do you find rilles

near side

what was the name of the space programme that the USA created to put humans onto the Moon

apollo

what were the two main objectives of the Apollo misson

• collection of lunar soil and rocks

• deployment of scientific experiments on the lunar surface

when a space craft travels to the moon what does it need to overcome

the earth’s gravity

what speed does a spacecraft need to reach overcome the earths gravitational pull

escape velocity (approx. 11.2 km/s)

which spacecraft have enough energy to reach escape velocity

rockets

during which year did humans first step foot on the moon

1969

which apollo mission was the first to put people onto the moon

11

how many astronauts have stepped foot on the moon

12

what is the main theory of how the moon came into existence

giant impact hypothesis

name three theories, other than the giant impact hypothesis, of how the moon came into existence

• fission theory

• capture theroy

• co-accretion (condensation) theory

in which theory did a large body, about the size of mars strike the earth causing debris to cool and form the moon

giant impact hypothesis

what do astronomers call the large body which struck the earth in the giant impact hypothesis

theia

how does the core of the earth compare to the moon in terms of iron

the earth has a large iron core but the moon doesn’t

which of the earth or moon has the lowest density

the moon (explained by the lack of iron in the moon’ s core)

what is important about the oxygen isotope composition of the moon and the earth

they are the same showing the moon formed from material in the earth’s neighbourhood

which theory of moon formation relies on the earth spinning rapidly so that part of it spun off to form the moon

fission theory

which theory states that the earth and moon formed separately, and the moon became captured by the earth

capture theory

which theory states that the earth and moon formed together from the same material from the solar nebula

co-accertion theory